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Fatal Case of Poisoning

SOURCE: ‘National Library of New Zealand.’ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz . Star, Issue 5003, 16 MAY 1884, Page 2. FATAL CASE OF POISONING. - The Effects of Strychnine. - The following paragraph appeared in the Lyttelton Times of this morning: - Information was given to the Rakaia police last night that a man had died suddenly at Mr Angus Murray's farm at Urral; five men also being ill. It is suspected that it is a case of poisoning. No further particulars could be obtained last night. The police and a medical man had gone up to the station. - (special to the "star.") - RAKAIA, May 16. The report of a case of poisoning in this morning's Times is only too true, a man named Thomas Fahey being the victim. It appears that a party consisting of Messrs McKerrow, Lampard, Angus, Murray, and Alex. Mann, left Tiverton, the residence of the latter's father, on Thursday morning on a shooting expedition. With his usual generosity Mr Mann, senior, filled a bottle of whisky for the party to take with them from his keg. The accident occurred as follows: - When the party reached Murray's house, at Urral, Mr Ingle Brown, of Highbank, was overtaken; and as another gun had to be obtained, the occasion was thought good enough to have a drink - all took a nip, also two of Murray's men who happened to be in the house at the time, Thomas Fahey (the deceased), and J. McVinney, his mate. Immediately after drinking, the whole party were seized with violent convulsions, and were in a serious condition. One of the party, not so bad as the others, drove off at once to Ashburton for Dr Ross, and fortunately found him at home. The doctor arrived about 4 o'clock, but too late to do anything for poor Fahey, who had died some time previously. The others were more fortunate. They were treated by the doctor, who left them out of all danger at six o'clock. Had it not been for the timely arrival of Messrs Hussey, Inder, and Smith, who saw the messenger going for the doctor, and hurried over to Urral and administered warm water and mustard, there is no doubt the whole party would have died. They had to be subjected to some severe treatment, as their muscles were so contracted. The sight was a most horrible one, and an eye-witness remarked this morning that he would not see the same again for £50. The whisky was poured from the jar into a jug which had contained strychnine, and had not been washed out. Further information will be available this evening after the inquest. Had the party gone direct to the shooting ground, instead of to Murray's, there is no doubt a terrible calamity would have happened. The rumours in the township were most conflicting and outrageous until I received the information. - From information obtained at the Christchurch police depot it appears that "Rough on Rats" is responsible for the occurrence, as the whisky, of which those who were taken ill partook, was drawn by a man named John Mann in a jug in which some of this poison had previously been mixed, and which, it is supposed, had not been washed afterwards. The inquest on the body of Fahey will be held to-morrow.

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